TMIF | Hazel & Esther

[Esther Garnet]

What kind of week was that? Esther was well and truly champing at the bit to commence weekend frivolities after what had been a series of consecutive days of sheer chaos. Learning of the school’s new framework before coming back to work had somehow given the witch the impression that on account of being in contact with more adult students and trainees, it might involve less foolish injuries and mishaps arriving into the medical ward, thus resulting in less mayhem in general. What a mistaken assumption that had been…

Of course there were the standard almost daily common inpatient check ins; for example mandrake exposure, splinching, Quiddich injuries, things like that - and she expected them from the M.A.G.I.C aged students. What she hadn’t anticipated was the extent of having to run around after nursing students and trainee healers, ensuring they weren’t administering the wrong potions or causing mass disorder in her ward in other ways. A couple of them had turned out to be real duds who required constant supervision. How was she supposed to work like this??

Before the end of the day she had shooed them off - albeit politely - by imploring them to knock off early and enjoy their weekends. It wasn’t so much a favour to them as it was an excuse for her to ensure she didn’t have to do any more baby sitting when she could be getting ready for a night out with her colleague instead.

Once the last of her mentees had left, and all who remained were one or two official medical staff on night shift Esther knew could run the ward in her absence, she grabbed for her tote bag and rummaged through it retrieving a black mini dress that had been shoved in there earlier. She slid into her office, door slightly ajar, and began the process of removing the completely bland, traditional Matron uniform layer, by layer by layer. It would be quite the transformation, like one of those bad muggle movies where the nerdy female protagonist removes their glasses and is suddenly stunning. From drab to fab in mere moments, as she hurriedly slipped on the figure hugging number and turned to examine herself in the mirror and rearranging certain assetts contained inside of the garment. Step one: check! But with the bonnet still atop of her head, firmly clasped under her chin, she would have to deal with her hair next. She wondered how far off Hazel was, and if she were bringing any kind of pre-game with her. Esther sure could use it.

Hazel Rosalie Burke

[Hazel Rosalie Burke]

December 2027

Merlin’s saggy spellbooks, teaching was exhausting. And no, it didn’t matter that Hazel only taught upper-level courses that, in theory, only the best and brightest students took. All kids looked the exact same from 11 until they came of age – chaos gremlins who cut up their robes to look cool and didn’t do their homework. The only thing that changed was the amount of drama in the school’s rumor mill, because the LIFE students could always be relied on to give the professors something to gossip about over breakfast. And Hazel lived for that, really. It was one of the only interesting things to do in a school that did not provide real entertainment for the adults that were forced to slave away their days there.

But thankfully, the real fun would be starting soon. While her sister was undoubtedly holed up in her office for the weekend marking essays (and earning her notorious reputation as a tough prof), Hazel was planning to skive off her work and get it all done the night before. You know, the way god intended it to be done. In the meantime, she paraded around her quarters in different outfits (because she always went with the first thing she’d chosen, but only after trying like five other options first) while her beloved cat kneaded the new seemingly-sapphire-studded cat bed Hazel had bought as an impulse buy in Wales that one time. Finally she settled in front of the mirror to finish applying her makeup and purred in satisfaction at the smokey-eye the History of Magic prof wished she could pull off.

“Byyyyyye cutie-pie, don’t wait up,” Hazel blew a kiss at her cat as she slipped the vodka into her bag (shhhh) and shut the door firmly behind her. She heard the lock slide into place as Hazel swayed down the corridor – rather glad there were no students to wonder why their prof was so done up. Because hey, she might have gotten a rather savvy reputation for being chill and relatable, but kids didn’t need to wonder where their professor disappeared to when she wasn’t lecturing about the arcane elements. She turned into the Hospital Wing and sashayed to the office of the head healer – aka, one of the only people here in Scotland’s armpit who knew how to have fun.

The sight that greeted her was comical – Esther looking sleek and silky in a little black dress, topped with the ever-so-flattering bonnet of the nursing staff. Hazel gave a wolf whistle as she shut the door behind her. “New fad, Essie?” she said as she dramatically tossed herself into the chair by the desk. Her hands whipped out to frame a mock headline as she continued, “I’m sure all the boys will love it. Sexy bachelorette meets ‘stern nurse ready to take your temperature.’” Hazel finished it off with a wink, in case her intention had somehow not come across.

Esther Garnet

[Esther Garnet]

The sound of the office door closing had Esther jolt to face whoever had entered. First there was a look of surprise by being caught stuffing her own chest into her dress, but her expression immediately turned to a ditzy pout in which she mocked a rather sultry look as soon as she realised it was Hazel. The wolf whistle rang out for her and she played to her colleague’s teasing, her body shifting robotically from one over the top cliche super model pose to another. “You like?” she asked the other woman playfully as both hands rose up to rest symmetrically to frame either side of her face, lashes flicking furiously in a ridiculously goofy display.

After that performance, Esther untied the bonnet clutched tightly under her chin and threw it upon her desk. She chuckled at her colleague’s comments and began to pull her hair out from the torturous shackles also widely known as bobby pins. “Maybe I should take your temperature,” the Head Healer responded before pausing to fan herself with her fingers. “You look absolutely blistering, Professor!”

There wasn’t too much more to do other than fix her flowing blonde locks the way she liked it. One of the perks of having Veela DNA was that there weren’t too many more improvements one could make to their skin with additional comsemtics on top of what was already there - not that she ever went without a bold red lippie on a night like tonight just to really bring it home. “How was your day? I don’t suppose you bought any you-know-what with you?” she checked the door again just to properly ensure that nobody could eye them off from inside the ward. “I’m absolutely gagging for a drink,” she declared. “Oh we’re going to get into soooo much trouble tonight, Hazel, I hope you’re ready for it!” 


Hazel Rosalie Burke

[Hazel Rosalie Burke]

Hazel savored the deer-in-the-headlights look before Esther finally realized who had barged into her office. It was actually the exact reason Hazel liked to just barge into rooms unannounced, because you never knew what you might find. Well, it was Hogwarts so actually it wasn’t all too unexpected – students stealing off to an empty classroom (aka an opportunity to think up ever-changing and creative detentions), Peeves causing chaos (which Hazel approved of as long as it didn’t ruin her look), and profs sneaking a little Irish into their coffee. Still, every now and then Hazel did manage to catch a particularly scandalous piece of gossip that watered her crops, kept her skin clear, and most importantly left Hazel purring satisfied for the next week or so.

“Promise to catch me if I swoon?” she asked, batting her eyes and bringing her hands up in a dramatic begging pose as Esther swept off the rather ghastly bonnet and began to fuss with her hair. Hazel’s lips curved into a little smirk as she soaked in Esther’s compliments (which she rightly deserved) while she played with her gold jewelry so it would catch the dim lights of the nurse’s office. Because Hazel did not go anywhere unless she outshined the gold she transfigured on a daily basis. “Looks like someone’s gunna get a full examination tonight, hey?” Hazel asked as she wagged her eyebrows. It really was quite unfair how flawlessly gorgeous part-veelas were. Hazel loved her friend, but there was also a gnawing jealousy there (but like, in a ‘wow I’m so happy for you but I kinda wanna snatch your wig but also maybe pull you into a closet for a hot sec’ kinda way). Still, the only person Hazel could truly be pissy with was her grandfather for making a dull and passionless match with another pureblood instead of a veela.

Esther’s question was both on-point and also extremely unnecessary. “Girl, how long’ve we known each other?” she asked, arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow as she made a big show of looking around. She shot Esther a wink as she teased a glimpse of the vodka bottle (already open, if you wanted a hint at how Hazel’s day had gone). “So I can’t give you full deets yet, but I’m positively gutted,” Hazel said with a pout as she threw herself onto the first open surface she could find. “Like, that’s what I get for having the literal worst parents. Who even, like, does arranged matches with a chaperone anymore? Ugh, gag.” Hazel popped the top off the bottle (ladylike, of course) and took a long swig. Pregaming at its finest. She straightened in time to point at Esther dramatically. “Uh yeah, we better! I can’t even with life right now.”

Esther Garnet

[Esther Garnet]

Esther continued combing fingers through her hair until her long blonde waves loosened out from the shackles of her uniformed updo, falling soft and sleek past her shoulders. Her gaze switched back and forth from her own face as she applied a bold red lip in the mirror, and Hazel’s reflection as she egged her on about receiving a full examination tonight. “One can only hope,” she quipped back, flashing a mischievous grin at her friend.

Turning back to face Hazel, she was grateful - no, indebted - to her for bringing the pre-game in the form of a bottle of hard liquor. Esther clasped her hands together in a celebratory fashion and made her way over to perch next to her, basically shoulder to shoulder. “Oh thank Merlin. You’re an actual angel.”

Hazel went on to hint around some kind of arranged matching that she wasn’t allowed to give full details on and Esther paused in full attention, sizing her up as her eyes narrowed in on her curious. “Oh come on. You can’t tease me like that…” she drawled, warmth on her voice. Esther reached out to take the bottle and claim her turn for a swig. “An arranged match, huh?” her brows arched before she went to tip her head back to pour the vodka into her mouth from a modest height. An attempt to avoid smudging her lippie on the rim. Hazel asked with disdain who even does arranged matches anymore, and Esther could only assume it was some weird notable Pureblood family thing. Merlin’s Beard it sounded like a hot mess either way. A hot juicy mess that she absolutely had to know more about, immediately!

Hazel Rosalie Burke

[Hazel Rosalie Burke]

Hazel pouted as she glared at the vodka bottle – as if it was the one suggesting a nice and proper pureblood match. It was easy enough to dodge her parents on the issue since they rarely came to London anymore (apparently isolated mansions locked away in gated communities were all the rage these days) which meant Hazel could toss out their letters and ignore their heads in the fireplace. But Asher had gotten pushy about it lately and Hazel knew exactly why. He still hadn’t said a word to Ivy since the whole Fiendfyre fiasco and the fact that Asher’s wand was still firmly lodged where the sun didn’t shine meant he hadn’t looked at a woman in ages. So. Hazel got to be punished for being the most likely to procreate in the next decade.

Not that she was completely ready to air out her family’s dirty laundry in front of Esther, which left Hazel to sigh dramatically and cradle the bottle protectively to her chest. “Wow, rude!” she said with a scandalized gasp as Esther swiped the vodka, although she sat up straighter at the opportunity to pass on a little gossip. A little, nothing Asher could accuse her of betraying the Burke family for. Because that was still Ivy’s title until someone else did something stupid. “Oh totes, it’s gotta be arranged cause no one else would willingly touch this guy. Like, he wants us all to think his jacket’s real dragon leather, but it’s just a cheap spell and a light breeze away from falling apart. Literally pathetic.” Hazel rolled her eyes and shuddered. She had literally zero intentions to show up now that she’d been forewarned, and if the chaperone was going to be fussy about it then she could marry Mr. Faux Pas.

Hazel played with one of her dangly necklaces and stared critically at the gemstone while she searched for any flaws. After a moment she let it drop and made a grabby hand for the bottle. “Gimme a distraction, Essie. Tell me something juicy.” Hazel looked expectantly at her friend and waited a beat or two. Because there were a few sure things in life and Hazel held to them like gospel – always believe in the power of accessories, never trust a guy in boat shoes, and Esther was definitely involved in boy drama. Which was one of the things Hazel loved most about the only other interesting staffie at Hogwarts. Like god, she might die of boredom without her.

Esther Garnet

[Esther Garnet]

Esther raised an eyebrow at Hazel's dramatic reaction, a playful smile tugging at her lips as she took another sip from the vodka bottle. She leaned back comfortably, regarding her colleague with an amused expression. "Well, if there's one thing I can always count on, it's your ability to turn any situation into a theatrical masterpiece," she quipped. Esther might not have any family, but at least she had managed to avoid any of these types of pressures, like who to date and how to live her life. The world was her oyster in that regard.

As Hazel reached for the bottle and requested a juicy distraction, Esther passed it back to her and then rolled her eyes animatedly. She bet her friend would love to hear about her sneaking around with another professor recently, but she wouldn’t tell that particular story out of respect for him. That was rare, since she generally didn't have a lot of respect for men and pretty much only used them for amusement or to validate herself. She found most of them pathetic - fake dragon leather or not. There were very few that she regarded good sorts to afford a tick of approval, and Archie was one of them. Regardless, plenty of other first hand wizard rendezvous stories could be relayed if Hazel really wanted to hear something wild.

"Well… I do have a small tidbit for you,” she started, before pausing for dramatic effect. “You know that Italian actor from The Alley?” she asked, her lips pursed together mischievously as she anticipated Hazel’s reaction. “I went home with him last weekend. Terribly full of himself. He has portraits and Prophet clippings of himself all over his apartment.”

Hazel Rosalie Burke